MSA Safety Incorporated - Experts & Thought Leaders

Global safety equipment manufacturer MSA Safety, Inc. announced it has secured a $10 million contract to provide respiratory protective equipment to the Orange County Fire Authority in Southern California. With this order, MSA continues to strengthen its breathing apparatus market presence in the Southern California region. Over the past two years, MSA Safety has secured similar breathing apparatus contracts with both the Los Angeles County and the Los Angeles City Fire Departments.  Advanced technology and connectivity Factors that influenced the department's selection of the G1 SCBA were its advanced technology The decision to upgrade Orange County Fire Authority's self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) technology was made after a comprehensive evaluation process. Factors that influenced the department's selection of the G1 SCBA were its advanced technology and connectivity features, as well as the ability to upgrade the breathing apparatus with new technologies as they become available. MSA Connected Firefighter platform With 15 U.S. patents, the G1 SCBA is the centerpiece of the MSA Connected Firefighter platform – a suite of safety technologies that work in concert to significantly improve firefighter monitoring, accountability and communication. The SCBA utilizes embedded technology to transmit important data, including cylinder air pressure, battery status and various alarm indicators, to incident commanders via MSA's FireGrid® system. The FireGrid system is a software service that gives incident commanders the ability to evaluate and manage on-scene fire crews in real time. Advanced and versatile safety solutions FireGrid system is a software service that gives incident chiefs the ability to evaluate and manage "When it comes to protecting first responders, our vision at MSA Safety is to provide fire departments with the most advanced and versatile safety solutions available today," said Bob Apel, MSA Safety Executive Director, Global Fire Service and Digital Experience. "Our G1 breathing apparatus is a fitting example of that vision. The platform provides ongoing value to fire departments because it enables us to continuously add new technologies to the SCBA that enhance firefighter health and safety. That vision is consistent with our growth strategy to be the leading innovator in head-to-toe protection for the fire service." G1 SCBA's advanced features Also included among the G1 SCBA's advanced features is an integrated thermal imaging camera (iTIC). The iTIC places thermal imaging capability into the hands of individual firefighters, as opposed to sharing a handheld device among multiple firefighters. The camera is part of the SCBA control module that houses a video screen and other electronics that enable many G1 features. Fire protection and medical emergency services OCFA is a regional fire service agency that serves 23 cities and all areas within Orange County Founded in 1995, the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) is a regional fire service agency that serves 23 cities and all unincorporated areas within Orange County.  With 78 fire stations, the OCFA protects nearly two million residents. It is a premier public safety agency providing superior fire protection and medical emergency services to its communities. Delivery of the new SCBA units "We are incredibly proud to establish this new partnership with the Orange County Fire Authority," said Joann Serakowski, MSA Safety Vice President, Fire Service – U.S. and Canada. "Most importantly, we're honored the department has entrusted MSA with the responsibility of protecting the men and women who help keep the residents of Orange County safe each day." Delivery of the new SCBA units is expected to be completed in 2025.

Innovation in the fire service is a continuous journey, where changing customer needs are driving forces in developing the newest safety solutions. For MSA Safety, that means taking the best and making it even better with the latest edition of its market-pioneer self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and designing an all-new turnout jacket. This week at FDIC International, MSA Safety will do just that by announcing the MSA® G1™ SCBA XR Edition and all-new Globe® G-XTREME® PRO Jacket. Fire service safety innovations The G1 SCBA XR Edition and G-XTREME Pro Jacket join the MSA Cairns® 1836 Fire Helmet  The G1 SCBA XR Edition and G-XTREME Pro Jacket join the MSA Cairns® 1836 Fire Helmet as a trio of new fire service safety innovations introduced by MSA Safety in just the past year. These build on the growing list of solutions designed to help protect firefighters and enhance safety by assisting with accountability and situational awareness. “Our customers drive our innovation and lead us to design safety solutions that best meet their safety needs,” said Stephanie Sciullo, President of MSA Americas, adding “In the past decade the fire service has evolved, and so has MSA by bringing new safety solutions to the market. As the leader in head-to-toe firefighter protection, we’re committed to helping advance firefighter safety, and we’ll continue to evolve and innovate by designing the next generation of safety equipment.” Radio interface capability Building on 10 years of continuous innovation, the MSA® G1™ SCBA XR Edition is the latest evolution of the G1 SCBA, featuring enhancements to the breathing air regulator and to various soft goods, including the straps, lumbar pad, and emergency and quick-fill pouches. All soft goods are removable for easy cleaning, and all enhancements are backwards-compatible to existing G1 SCBA units. The G1 SCBA XR Edition will be available for order beginning in May. With 15 U.S. patents, the G1 SCBA has a broad range of innovative features to enhance firefighter safety, comfort, situational awareness and operational efficiency, including standard voice amplification and radio interface capability, an advanced electronics platform powered by a single rechargeable battery, and an integrated telemetry solution. Traditional-style fire helmets This new jacket from Globe Manufacturing Company will be available for order later this year The Globe® G-XTREME® PRO Jacket features a unique, three-panel outer shell design that includes a mesh feature in the liner to reduce bulk and help maximize comfort and mobility; a redesigned collar; and new length options to accommodate a wide range of body types and additional flexibility in design specifications. This new jacket from Globe Manufacturing Company will be available for order later this year.  MSA will also feature its Cairns® line of fire helmets and FireGrid™ applications platform at FDIC this year. In addition to the Cairns 1836 Fire Helmet, one of lightest traditional-style fire helmets available to meet National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, various traditional and rescue-style helmets will be on display. Designing protective equipment The cloud-connected capabilities of FireGrid will also be highlighted, featuring applications that help to digitize manual tasks and empower firefighters to use available device and personnel data to make more informed decisions on- and off-scene. “Our mission is to help firefighters stay safe and accounted for by designing protective equipment and connected solutions that are consistent and easy to use,” said Bob Apel, MSA Safety Executive Director, Global Fire Service and Digital Experience, adding “We take an integrated approach to developing our safety solutions and work to provide practical, streamlined equipment that elevates firefighter safety.” The MSA Safety booth at FDIC is number 2623. To stay up to date with the latest company happenings at FDIC, visit MSA's FDIC website or follow MSA Fire's Facebook, MSA Fire’s Instagram and company’s LinkedIn pages.

Each year, MSA Safety and DuPont Personal Protection partner with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) to provide Globe turnout gear and MSA fire helmets to volunteer fire departments in need. In 2024, 13 volunteer fire departments across the U.S. and Canada each received four new sets of turnout jackets, turnout pants, and helmets to help increase the safety of their responders. MSA also provided the first 500 applicants with an NVFC membership. Compliant with safety standards The donations have made a notable impact in enabling units to better protect their responders Since the program began in 2012, a total of 767 sets of gear and 312 helmets have been donated to 173 departments, totaling more than 2 million dollars in life-saving gear. Receiving departments faced limited budgets and resources, which prevented them from securing the sufficient quantity of gear they needed and/or left them using gear that was out of date and not compliant with safety standards. The donations have made a significant impact in enabling departments to better protect their responders. Enhance the safety of ground firefighters “Volunteer firefighters are the backbone of their communities, answering the call whenever their neighbors have an emergency,” said NVFC Chair, Steve Hirsch. He adds, “And yet many departments lack the funding to be able to provide state-of-the-art, up-to-date personal protective equipment for their responders. We are proud to partner with MSA and DuPont each year to help meet this need and enhance the safety of our boots on the ground firefighters.” Improve safety for firefighters “DuPont is honored to continue supporting the Globe Gear Giveaway program, which plays a crucial role in providing essential safety equipment to volunteer firefighters across the United States and Canada. We strongly believe that those who protect their communities deserve the very best protection,” said Stephanie Vrakas, NA Marketing Manager, DuPont Personal Protection. “At MSA, our mission is helping to keep people safe at work, including firefighters who are helping to keep their communities safe,” said Ben Mauti, Director of Americas Segment Marketing at MSA Safety, adding “We’re proud to be supporting this program and helping to improve safety for firefighters at fire departments that are most in need, so these firefighters have the protective equipment they need when their community calls on them for help.” Recipients of the 2024 MSA The recipients of the 2024 MSA and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway are as follows: Cornettsville (KY) Fire Department Hessmer (LA) Fire Department East Galesburg (IL) Volunteer Fire Department East Glacier Park (MT) Volunteer Fire Department Elmore Fire Department (Lake Elmore, VT) Gander Bay Fire Department (Wing’s Point, NL, Canada) Hasbrouck Heights (NJ) Fire Department Keating Rural Fire Protection District (Baker City, OR) Prater Fire and Rescue (Grundy, VA) Samburg-Reelfoot Volunteer Fire Department (Hornbeak, TN) Tanner Volunteer Fire Department (Athens, AL) Taylorstown (PA) Volunteer Fire Department Terre Du Lac Fire Department (Bonne Terre, MO). DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway To be eligible to apply for the giveaway, departments must be over 50 percent volunteer, serve a population of 25,000 or less, be located in the U.S. or Canada and legally organized under state/province law, demonstrate a significant need for new gear, and the person applying or the department chief must be a member of the NVFC. MSA provides NVFC memberships to the first 500 applicants to help departments meet the membership requirement. The application period for 2025 MSA and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway will open in February 2025. A total of 52 sets of turnout gear and helmets will be awarded to increase firefighter safety. Stay tuned to the NVFC web site, Dispatch newsletter, and Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram pages, as well as the Globe Facebook page, for details.

Firefighters are flocking to Indianapolis for FDIC International. Much of the week-long event is dedicated to classroom instruction and hands-on training. Connecting and networking In addition to learning, firefighters are connecting and networking on a scale unprecedented since the pandemic. There is also a spirit of gratitude to first responders for keeping communities safe. For the first time, FDIC International is co-locating with the JEMS Conference and Expo for the EMS market. Equipment manufacturers emphasize new technology in a large exhibit hall at FDIC International, where firefighters can see and touch the latest products, from protective clothing to hand-held devices to large fire apparatus. The event even spills into the outdoors, where displays comprise large aerial equipment and activities include skill competitions. Interact directly with firefighters It’s a unique trade show that enables end-user engagement with 30,000 firefighters" Exhibitors embrace the opportunity to interface directly with firefighters. “It’s a unique trade show that enables end-user engagement with 30,000 firefighters,” said Jason Traynor, MSA Safety’s General Manager of Global Fire Service Products.” “They can meet with us directly, get a sense of who MSA is, how we operate, the kind of people we employ. Coming to the show is about that connection with the people who have to do the work and have committed themselves to a selfless career.” G1 SCBA and LUNAR “It’s about the time we get to spend with the people, and introducing new technologies is also important." The MCA Safety exhibit emphasizes the company’s focus on human-centered design and products that work together in a connected firefighter platform. They include the G1 SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) and the LUNAR-connected handheld device, which complements the SCBA with search-and-rescue and thermal imaging capabilities. The two are connected and can send data back and forth. If either goes into alarm, LUNAR becomes a beacon that can help firefighters locate a partner based on the signal strength of the beacon. In effect, the combination provides objective data to aid decision-making in an emergency. Fotokite tethered drone, software MCA is highlighting the Fotokite tethered drone, which hovers above a fire scene and provides situational awareness MCA is also highlighting the Fotokite tethered drone, which hovers above a fire scene and provides situational awareness (with visual or thermal imaging) and connectivity to understand the fire scene better. MCA’s software helps departments monitor people, processes, and products for a deeper understanding of the work they do. The broader ecosystem enables them to view firefighting more holistically. Gas Laser National Gas Leak Detector The FDIC show is the first since the pandemic to occur at its regularly scheduled time. One exhibitor estimates attendance is about triple what he saw at the show last August, almost back to 100% of the pre-pandemic level. In addition to firefighter attendees, who were willing to brave the threat of COVID, many distributors and sales reps are returning to the show. Teletype Gas Measurement Instruments had two orders pending just one hour after the exhibition opened, said Alan Skinner, Regional Manager. Teledyne’s Gas Laser Natural Gas Leak Detector is a handheld device that can quickly scan common venting points from a safe distance. AttackPRO handheld thermal imaging camera Several exhibitors at the show mention the usefulness of feedback from users and show attendees in guiding product design. Seek Thermal employed information about real problems in the field when designing its AttackPRO handheld thermal imaging camera, introduced at the show. The simple, durable product is easy to control; there are only two buttons, so no confusion in an emergency. Situational awareness A smaller camera provides situational awareness, while the new product is more for decision-making The AttackPRO complements Seek Thermal’s smaller and familiar RevealFirePROX camera, an affordable personal thermal imaging camera for everyone in a department. The smaller camera provides situational awareness, while the new product is more for decision-making and is a “fire attack tool,” said Brent LaSala, Director, Global Marketing at Seek Thermal. Comfortable clothing Clothing for firefighters makes up a big part of the show floor, and the trend is toward more comfortable clothing with a better range of motion. 5.11 Tactical is approaching the challenge with flexible fabrics, including a poly-cotton blend, and adjusted fit. The trend extends to the company’s lighter-weight jackets, outerwear, and duty uniforms, which seek to combine an “old-school” aesthetic with better comfort, said Aaron Shick, Sr. Manager, Strategic Accounts and Channels, 5.11 Tactical. fully electric fire truck Resulting from 10 years of research and development, the electric apparatus is a reinvention of the fire truck Rosenbauer America showed off a fully electric fire truck, which will go into service next month at the Los Angeles City Fire Department. Resulting from 10 years of research and development, the electric apparatus is a reinvention of the fire truck from the ground up. Rosenbauer worked closely with the Los Angeles Department to address the specific challenges and obstacles of how the new truck fits into the city’s needs. Revolutionary Technology electric truck The Rosenbauer RTX (Revolutionary Technology) electric truck can travel 60 miles before it needs a charge and can operate 30 to 90 minutes at a fire scene before needing a charge; the average fire call is about 25 minutes. If the battery depletes to 20%, a diesel generator kicks in and can power the truck for several hours for an extreme fire. The truck is also 8,000 pounds lighter than a conventional apparatus. The 13kW Volvo Penta drivetrain is powerful, reliable, and noise- and emissions-free. Training and operating procedures “Anything that a traditional apparatus needs to do, this truck does, and more,” said Mark Fusco, VP of Sales & Marketing, Rosenbauer America. In Berlin, Germany, a similar truck has been operating for several months in an initial trial. It ran 440 calls and only needed to engage its generator to recharge two times. “In deploying this truck, departments will need to consider various factors such as training and operating procedures,” says Fusco. NFPA-approved truck “You can fit more loose equipment on this truck because there is more usable space. This is an NFPA-approved truck, and it is exceeding expectations.” Two more Rosenbauer electric trucks are being demonstrated in fire departments in the U.S. and Canada, and another truck is coming next year.

Technology has played a role in firefighting since the beginning; in fact, portable water pumps were found among the ruins of ancient Egypt. As bucket brigades gave way to electric pumps and internal combustion motors displaced horse-drawn fire engines, firefighting has benefited in terms of greater efficiency and lives saved at each point along the way. Technologies boosting the efforts of firefighters include drones, robots and other high-tech innovations. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: Which technologies will we see in ‘the future of firefighting'?

Thermal imaging is an advantageous tool for firefighters on the frontline. As thermal cameras have become more compact and affordable, their availability has expanded, along with their usefulness. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: How does thermal imaging serve the needs of firefighters and how is it changing?